Eugene Amo-Dadzie is a husband, father, and chartered accountant by day. But by night, he is one of the fastest men in the world, having recently run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds.
Amo-Dadzie’s journey to becoming a world-class sprinter is unlike any other. He didn’t start training seriously until he was 26 years old, and he still balances his athletics career with his day job.
Amo-Dadzie was a promising sprinter in high school, but he says he “was getting dominated” at competitions and ultimately drifted away from athletics. He went off to university and later qualified as a chartered accountant, only putting his speed to use when playing soccer recreationally.
It wasn’t until he was walking past an athletics track in London that Amo-Dadzie experienced a change of heart. He had stopped with a friend to watch a local meet when he was once again asked why he had never taken sprinting seriously.
“That was the moment something in my mind switched and I didn’t have an answer for him,” says Amo-Dadzie. “I didn’t have any reason to give him as to why I’d never tried it.”
Amo-Dadzie began training with coach Steve Fudge in 2017, and his times quickly began to improve. In 2019, he ran a personal best of 10.55 seconds, which was subsequently lowered to 10.2 seconds in 2021 and 10.05 in 2022.
This year, Amo-Dadzie broke through to the world-class level, earning his first international vest in March and then breaking the 10-second barrier for the first time in Austria last month.
Amo-Dadzie is now ranked fifth in the UK in the 100 meters, and he is hoping to compete at the world championships in Budapest in August and the Olympics in Paris next year.
Despite his sudden success, Amo-Dadzie remains humble and grounded. He credits his faith in God for his success, and he says that he is simply “vibing and enjoying myself” when he competes.
Amo-Dadzie is an inspiration to athletes of all ages. He shows that it is never too late to pursue your dreams, no matter how late you start. He is also a role model for working parents, showing that it is possible to balance a successful career with a family life.
